‘Game of Thrones’ Takes Over Monopoly Board Game and Gets It Wrong

Game of Thrones stole the hearts and minds of many when it first premiered on the HBO network in April 2011. The seductive and manipulative cast of characters, along with shocking death scenes, maniacal plot twists, and jaw-dropping, breathtaking dragons that filled the skies with glistening scales and breathing, flesh-filleting fire captivated audiences. From books to television, this series keeps fans on the edge of their couches with every season finale leaving watchers flabbergasted and wanting more. With their fifth season already nine episodes heavy, and preparing for what, fans say, is sure to be yet another season finale cliffhanger, Game of Thrones takes over the classic Monopoly board game with their new collectible merchandise and gets it terribly wrong, according to critics.

Want a goblet? A replica of Jamie Lannister’s prized sword? Maybe a set of Daenerys‘ precious dragon eggs would soothe the inner fan. Whatever the merchandise, Game of Thrones’ official HBO website has it all. Although some of the merchandise can be considered by some to be a bit pricey, fans everywhere were overjoyed to see the classic game of Monopoly take on a Game of Thrones twist.

With six tokens (classic symbols of the series) to play with, fans complain that the playing pieces are all the board game gets right. Tokens include one of Daenerys‘ dragon eggs, a three-eyed raven representing the crows on the wall, a white walker, a dire wolf, a crown and the iron throne itself. Villages and keeps take on the purpose of the classic green houses and red hotels of the original game. Beyond the tokens and the keeps, fans of the show and (more importantly) fans of Monopoly found that the small intricate details, which would have made the board game all the more enjoyable, were missed opportunities when the game launched in April of this year.

It was the small things that one would not think could irritate a Monolopy board gamer that sent most Game of Thrones fans over the edge. The free parking section caused pause as fans wondered what a world without cars would need parking for in the first place. Rather than have the classic blue-cop board corner that sends a piece to jail, gamers said they would have much preferred a method more closely related to that of the show. Mutilation and mayhem, maybe? Fans lower their heads at the Game of Thrones effort to take over the Monopoly board game while seemingly getting it incredibly wrong.

One particular risqué staple of the show that did not make it to the board game was the nudity. Although some were disappointed, the opinion of fans is split on the issue. One side is thinking about children who may purchase and play the game while the other side felt like the show is adult-geared and, therefore, so should be the game. The last bit of contention with the series watchers who were beyond excited to get their hands on the game was the issue of property.

The focus on property and land in the show play an integral part of the Game of Thrones storyline and characters therein, so it was understandable how the third-most expensive piece of land on the board being Winterfell would upset a few show watchers. In recent seasons, Winterfell has become somewhat of a wasteland, however, other fans of the show feel like the value of property in the game is meant to represent the overall value that the property once had and could quite possibly still have.

With the season finale just hours away, fans agree that the Monopoly version of the show, however dismal, is the least of their concerns. With Daenerys’ children setting people and arenas on fire, Jamie Lannister’s one-handed attempts to save his family, Arya’s face-changing mission of revenge, and a host of reanimated corpses looking to destroy all things living, fans say there are more important things to worry about. The Game of Thrones Monopoly board game takeover, and all the details the creators got wrong is not one of them. For those who would still like to play for themselves, the game is available for purchase on the show’s HBO website for a (controversial) $59.99.

The Season Finale of Game of Thrones airs at 9:00 p.m. Sunday on HBO. Check local listings.